I HATE EVERYTHING!

Through a series of pointed questions, a ghost interrogates a companion’s bad mood and helps to create a shift—at least for a moment.

“I hate everything!” declares a large frowning spirit. A smaller ghost gently pushes back: “Do you hate me?” “No, I don’t hate you. BUT I HATE EVERYTHING ELSE!” Lightly textured floating ghosts of the white-sheet variety appear on variously colored pages. The flat, mostly empty backgrounds change in color and tone throughout, reflecting the bigger ghost’s feelings. When the large ghost reiterates the title phrase, reds and oranges emphasize the angry heat of the speaker’s emotions. When the smaller ghost elicits a positive response, greens, blues, and lavenders suggest a calmer mood. Simply drawn mouths and eyes are remarkably expressive. The enormous yawning blackness of the larger ghost’s mouth perfectly captures the anguish of being stuck in a bad mood, while the smaller ghost’s mobile eyebrows clearly convey concern and caring. Eventually, the smaller ghost lists a double-page spread’s worth of people and experiences, appealingly pictured in bright colors (“Do you hate…flowers? Balloons? Strawberries?”). The bigger ghost doesn’t hate those things, either, and voices another equally extreme opinion, highlighted against sunny yellow: “I LOVE EVERYTHING!” This joy doesn’t last long, though, leading to a quiet chuckle as the book closes.

Readers will be charmed and reassured by the reminder that, with love and support, a change in perspective is possible.